Japanese Disaster: A Lesson For Us

[Stunner]

I have always had a deep affection for Japan and the Japanese people .. The most educated people on the face of earth .. Educated not in terms of literacy only, educated in terms of ethics, social behaviour and what has emerged to me now educated in terms of behaviour even in complete destruction .. Watch BBC and you will find all of it ..

I have lived in Japan years back and I simply loved my stay there .. I can dare to say that i learnt some ethical demonstrations which are unknown to us in this so-called 'Model Islamic Society' .. Examples are numerous .. So much of them that I m in a struggle to choose which of them to be quoted here .. But I must quote some of them, just to let people know the difference between a society which it is said has no God, and a society which must have been a role model on pure religious basis i.e Muslim society ..

While my stay there i noticed something strangely different .. A new entry in the ethical books .. When i was at some Japanese home, visiting them, I saw that when a person was watching T.V, no one dared pass between his sight and the T.V .. Just to make sure that his view was not disturbed .. I even saw that if someone had to pass in anyway for something important, they bent on their knees and passed by, without disturbing the view of the person watching T.V .. And there was no discrimination for this apparently self made ethical rule .. If a kid was watching T.V, the parents would also do the same .. And mind it, this was not just at home, not just for T.V .. Even in shopping malls, if a person was watching something displayed on racks no one passed between that person and the item displayed in an attempt not to distract his view .. They would simply pass behind that person or wait until he took his eyes off that item .. When i noticed it there, it was something different for me .. But the practical difference emerged when I came back to Pakistan .. When at home I was watching T.V, sometimes someone would stand right in between myself and the T.V and being totally unaware of the fact that someone's view was being blocked .. This might sound bizarre to some of you, but to me it is ethics and was taught to me by the Japanese .. And I have mentioned just one of those ethics, the list is never ending ..

The reason I'm writing this post is different though .. Today while watching BBC's coverage of the Japan earthquake and Tsunami disaster, I noticed something very strange .. I watched that not just houses of some individuals, whole prefectures had been destroyed by killer waves of Tsunami .. People tearful but not moaning .. Devastated but not defeated .. Lost everything but still calm .. Paths wiped but people orderly .. Hungry but not greedy .. Hats off

Those of you who don't understand what I'm talking about, just watch coverage of BBC or CNN on the issue .. I have seen no one beating himself over devastation .. This, I'm talking about a Japanese nation .. On the contrary I remember people beating their heads and chests with their hands, moaning loudly and cursing always someone, when some calamity happened in Pakistan .. My Muslim Nation I'm talking about .. Who speak Arabic words like 'Tawakkal Allah' and Alhamdo Lillah, but don't know what they mean ..

I have seen on T.V Japanese people cuing for food outside supermarkets and no one breaking lines, and cues as long as 100's of yards but people as calm as ever .. And mind it, they were standing there to buy food, not for aid .. Have you ever seen on Pakistani T.V channels the situation of Muslim nation when free food is being distributed .. ? I think I don't need to elaborate what I mean to say, you must have a clear picture by now, emerged in your minds .. I must not repeat those dreadful acts of some of our people during those times of hardship in 2005 .. But one I cannot forget, is the man who cut the arm of a dead woman under the debris, who had jewelery in her hand .. As he was unable to pull that jewelery off her hand, he simply cut the arm and was carrying it when was caught by someone .. And yet I always hear the golden lines like 'Pakistan per Allah ka khaas karam hai, yahan azaab nahin aa sakta' ..

I'm ashamed of our national behaviour after watching the Japanese reaction to the acts of nature .. What have we learnt from Islam .. ? And who has taught the Japanese people how to act in hard times .. ?

Its time to reinvent our faith .. And to act in a way Allah and HIS Prophet S.A.W have ordered us .. May Allah forgive us all and bring us back on the right path .. Aameen .. !!

Regards ..



.

[Gulrukh]

Poor Japanese n that Ring of Fire area..circum-pacific seismic plate...the real culprit of this destruction...something tragic always struck them at the peak of their power.
During world war 2 It were the Japanese who attacked the Mighty Pearl Harbor with torpedo n bomber planes n American's struck them with Atomic bombs in retaliation n reduced their cities to ashes n debris.

n now as this country is #3 among world superpowers n this new tragedy has struck them..It's frustrating indeed but Japanese are not showing this frustration instead they are still in their senses after so much chaos n destruction at the hands of nature...It's really brave of them.

[Saleeqa Batool]

S Japan reels from the effects of the giant earthquake and the monster tsunami that followed soon after resulting in the deaths of reportedly at least 10,000 people, possibly many more, one can discern the calm fortitude with which that brave and well-organised people are going about the business of recovery.

From the prime minister down to the police and the soldiers, sailors and airmen, there is a quiet determination to do what has to be done. The army is distributing clothes and water and food from kitchens run by soldiers with officers serving the people; the navy is looking for survivors who might have been swept out to sea; and the air force is ferrying in supplies and medicines round the clock.

Everyone, including the prime minister and his cabinet, is in the uniform of the rescue services; no one in civvies of choice; and there are no spectators hanging about gawking at the rescue efforts and getting in the way of those engaged in them. Indeed, all of the nation is united in their hour of trial, the prime minister who was fighting for his very political survival just days ago getting the loyalty of all so that he can lead the country effectively in this time of great hardship. It is to be noted that lay politicians not in government posts are nowhere to be seen, leaving the recovery work to those trained to do it.

Compare this please with the floods in our poor country when everyone and Charlie`s aunt came down like a ton of bricks on the government and politicians in general, not accepting that it is organisations like the National Disaster Management Authority (headed by a full-blown lieutenant general, please note) that had the major responsibility, helped by the country`s armed forces. Instead, what we saw was an embarrassing PR campaign telling us what great favours were being done to the flood affectees, as if either they or our armed forces were Martians.

As an aside, there are no banners on Japanese army trucks announcing `The Japanese Army at the service of the Japanese people!` , or `such-and-such Corps HQ at the service of so-and so` as we saw to the everlasting mortification of old soldiers such as I.

Well, come to think of it, the New Zealand army had no such slogans emblazoned on the sides of their trucks during the earthquake that hit that nation not too long ago; and neither did the Australian army when the massive floods hit that country recently. It always has to be us doing the wrong thing, the very unique people that we are.

As I write this there are warnings of further earthquakes in Japan and resultant tsunamis too, triggering the fear that the nation`s nuclear power plants may well be badly affected. Indeed, thus far there have been two explosions in two plants situated along the coast where the tsunami struck.

One shudders to think what might happen to our KANUPP located near Hawkes Bay on Karachi`s coast if there is anything near a tsunami happening there. I mean if reactors could be affected in efficient, technologically advanced Japan, why can they not explode into smithereens in a country that cannot efficiently run a bus service in the public sector? Boggles the senses if you ask me.

There is some good news, however, and this has to do with a weak ray of hope in regard to the existential question that stares our poor and hapless country in the face far more frighteningly that an earthquake and/or a tsunami. And that is the takeover of our country by extremists intent on waging war against the world. The ray of hope is the announcement attributed to the GOC 7 Division who oversees military operations in Waziristan to the effect that the vast majority of those killed are militants, many of them foreigners who, if politically active Pakhtun friends are to be believed, have made the lives of our Fata brothers and sisters a living hell.

Well, kudos to the general for saying it like it is. Of course, the likes of the `bright young things` who operate out of the bowels of the establishment will soon criticise him for telling the truth and try and sell the outdated, past its sell-by date nonsense that sections of the Deep State are always putting out.

Indeed, to hedge its bets, the ISPR has already stated that the views are the general`s own. We know for certain, of course, that the army is a well-knit, disciplined force, and that army officers simply would not air their personal views publicly.

By the by, there is uproar on the Internet re: this same statement with many of my liberal and leftist friends condemning the army for genuflecting to the Americans and therefore trying to fob off the matter of the drone strikes. To them I should like to say that there is no one truth in all the shemozzle of the war on terror, there are many truths. One of which surely is that the drone strikes are hurting the terrorists.

Which reminds me, if it is at all true, as a news story in this paper of record had it the other day, that an assault on the Haqqani network in North Waziristan is imminent, then more kudos to the army for having finally realised that half-measures will never suffice in the fight against terror; that terrorists can never be the army`s `strategic assets`; and that if we help the Americans lose in Afghanistan we are next in line for the ministrations of the forces of darkness.

In the end, let me allude to the statement of the ISPR chief in which he has advised the civilian set-up to `streamline` the use of funds in civilian departments instead of criticising heavy defence spending; and told the `civilian government` that if they could “diminish the perils to the country through negotiations with India, then reduction in army could take place”. Two questions: is the spending within the armed forces `streamlined` — if so why the Rs2bn NLC scam please? As to `negotiations with India`, er, who is `India-centric` please?

[Kamran]

The landscape of parts of Japan looks like the aftermath of World War Two; no industrialised country since then has suffered such a death toll. The one tiny, tiny consolation is the extent to which it shows how humanity can rally round in times of adversity, with heroic British rescue teams joining colleagues from the US and elsewhere to fly out.
And solidarity seems especially strong in Japan itself. Perhaps even more impressive than Japan’s technological power is its social strength, with supermarkets cutting prices and vending machine owners giving out free drinks as people work together to survive. Most noticeably of all, there has been no looting, and I’m not the only one curious about this.
This is quite unusual among human cultures, and it’s unlikely it would be the case in Britain. During the 2007 floods in the West Country abandoned cars were broken into and free packs of bottled water were stolen. There was looting in Chile after the earthquake last year – so much so that troops were sent in; in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina saw looting on a shocking scale.
Why do some cultures react to disaster by reverting to everyone for himself, but others – especially the Japanese – display altruism even in adversity?

Why is there no looting in Japan? – Telegraph Blogs

[mhmmdkashif]

Originally Posted by Kamran

Why do some cultures react to disaster by reverting to everyone for himself, but others – especially the Japanese – display altruism even in adversity?

Why is there no looting in Japan? – Telegraph Blogs

The reason is very simple; the Japanese teach their children to remain disciplined and the Europeans teach their children how to acquire means to satisfy their needs .

[MBA]

Originally Posted by Gulrukh

n now as this country is #3 among world superpowers n this new tragedy has struck them..It's frustrating indeed but Japanese are not showing this frustration instead they are still in their senses after so much chaos n destruction at the hands of nature...It's really brave of them.

They are frustrated and in shock! thousands died, millions missing, billions of dollar in losses!

A historian once on tv or youtube I heard was saying "Japan will be destroyed one day, their islands will be vanished in water completely", I don't remember the name of link can anyone endorse it? Is there anything written in predictions or myths about Japan?


While Coming to rehabilitation, Can't this greater Japan build itself again in somewhere Africa? lol sounds weird but they are economic power and hard working nation, they can buy/lease land and build another Japan their? As they can't fight with Natural disasters, but they can relocate their country, I guess!

Regards,

[Rehan Mehmood]

Satellite Photos of Japan, Before and After the Quake and Tsunami

Satellite Photos - Japan Before and After Tsunami - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com

[faizasoomro]

awesome!!
being a Muslim i should not say but this is reality ,after reading this all about Japanese we are like nothing in front of them...
May Allah bless them

[Jahanzebmemon]

Beautifully written man, loved your post.

@MBA
I don't think so. Hard working nation never loses it's hopes. I guess they will be successful to make a better Japan again.

[Stunner]

Originally Posted by faizasoomro

awesome!!
being a Muslim i should not say but this is reality ,after reading this all about Japanese we are like nothing in front of them...
May Allah bless them

Being a Muslim we should say what is true .. And what u said is true .. Muslims are proud now a days and I constantly hear slogans like 'a worst Muslim is still better than a best non-Muslim' .. This has happened before a lot many times and history will repeat itself again .. Hum iss khushi mein rahain ge k hum to Muslaman hain aur Allah ka karam hai hum per, aur apnay aamaal theek nahin karain ge .. Ho ga ye k Allah kisi aur qaum ko jo Ikhlaaqi qadron per hum se bohat behtar ho gi, Emaan ki daulat nawazay ga aur phir wo qaum Muslim Ummah ki leader ho gi .. Example, Saltanat e Usmania .. Jab Arab khud se behtar kisi ko nahin samajhtay thay to Allah ne Turkish logon ko emaan se nawaaza and they became the leaders of Muslim Ummah and ruled most parts of the world ..

Originally Posted by Jahanzebmemon

@MBA
I don't think so. Hard working nation never loses it's hopes. I guess they will be successful to make a better Japan again.

Yea, they will build it again InshaAllah and I'm sure even better than before .. Their economy suffered a lot during the last decade, I think this disaster will engrave a new zest & zeal in them to work even harder .. They will over come it ..
Hamain apni fikar karni chahiye, Jahan abhi tak zalzala aur selaab mutasreen ko sanbhaala nahin gya, aur wo becharay bhi bass imdaad k intezaar mein hi bethay hain .. Allah hamaray haal per reham farmaaye ..

Regards ..